(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chiral 1,3-dioxane compounds and diastereomers thereof, and to the use of these compounds as chiral dopants for liquid-crystalline systems.
(2) Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The invention further relates to non-polymerizable or polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions comprising at least one chiral 1,3-dioxane compound of the invention, the use of these non-polymerizable or polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions for producing optical components, the use of the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions for printing or coating substrates, for preparing dispersions and emulsions, films or pigments and optical components, printed or coated substrates, dispersions and emulsions, films and pigments of this type.
The preparation of cholesteric liquid-crystal mixtures usually involves using a liquid-crystalline (nematic) base material and one or more optically active dopants. This preparation method makes it possible to vary the optical properties of the mixture simply by changing the nematic compound/dopant ratio. However, to minimize possible negative effects of the dopant on the other properties of the nematic host system, such as phase behavior and phase range, there is a particular demand for dopants which, even when added in small amounts, cause large changes in optical properties.
Numerous chiral dopants for liquid-crystalline phases are known from the scientific and patent literature. It is all the more astonishing that chiral 1,3-dioxane compounds were apparently not considered previously as dopants for liquid-crystalline systems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide additional chiral compounds which are suitable for preparing cholesteric liquid-crystalline compositions and have a relatively high twisting power and correspondingly exhibit great effects on the optical properties of the liquid-crystalline host system even in comparatively small amounts.
We have found that this object is achieved by a chiral compound of the general formula I 
or a diastereomer thereof,
where
R1 is [Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94]qMxe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x94 and
R2 and R3 are each, independently of one another and independently of R1, [Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94]qMxe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x2xe2x80x94,
where
A1 and A2 are each a spacer having from one to 30 carbon atoms,
M is a mesogenic group,
Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 are each a chemical single bond, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(R)Nxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(R)Nxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94(R)Nxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94,
Y4xe2x80x2 is xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94,
R is hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl,
P is hydrogen, C1-C12-alkyl, a polymerizable group or a group suitable for polymerization or a radical having a polymerizable group or a group suitable for polymerization,
m and n are each 0 or 1, and
q is 1, 2 or 3,
where A1, A2, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y4xe2x80x2, M and P and the indices m, n and q of R1 to R3 can be identical or different, and R2 and R3 are attached to the 1,3-dioxane skeleton via the oxygen atom of Y4xe2x80x2, with the proviso that at least one of the radicals Y, in each case adjacent to A, is a chemical bond if one or both of the indices m and n is/are 0.
Suitable spacers A1 and A2 are all groups known for this purpose to a person skilled in the art. The spacers usually contain one to 30, preferably one to 12, particularly preferably one to six, carbon atoms and consist of predominantly linear aliphatic groups. They may be interrupted in the chain, for example by non-adjacent oxygen or sulfur atoms or imino or alkylimino groups, for example methylimino groups. Suitable substituents for the spacer chain are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, cyano, methyl and ethyl.
Examples of representative spacers are:
xe2x80x94(CH2)uxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2CH2O)vCH2CH2xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94CH2CH2SCH2CH2xe2x80x94xe2x80x94CH2CH2NHCH2CH2xe2x80x94,

where u is 1 to 30, preferably 1 to 12, v is 1 to 14, preferably 1 to 5, and w is 1 to 9, preferably 1 to 3.
Preferred spacers are ethylene, propylene, n-butylene, n-pentylene and n-hexylene.
Particularly suitable mesogenic groups are those of the formula Ia
where
T at each occurrence is a divalent, saturated or unsaturated carbocyclic or heterocyclic radical,
Y5 at each occurrence is a chemical single bond, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(R)Nxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(R)Nxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94(R)Nxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94N(R)xe2x80x94, and
r is 0, 1, 2 or 3, where, if r less than 0, T in each instance it occurs is identical or different and Y5 in each instance it occurs is identical or different.
Note: The definition of the radical T as being divalent requires further explanation. It will be understood that this divalency only applies to the attachment of a radical T in question to the adjacent radical(s) T, one of the q moieties Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 and/or xe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x2xe2x80x94, respectively.
For example, when two or three moieties Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 (q equals two or three) are attached to the mesogenic group M, which as such has a valency of (q+1) according to its definition in formula I, the valency of at least one radical T in question obviously increases to three or possibly even four.
This may be illustrated by way of example for q equals 3 and r equals 3 for two of the possible isomers, i.e. 
In the former case, the radical T in question (marked with x) is divalent in terms of attachment of one moiety Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 and an adjacent radical T, but has a total valency of four, since it has two additional moieties Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 attached to it. In the latter case, the two radicals T in question are divalent in terms of attachment of one moiety Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 and one adjacent radical T or two adjacent radicals T, but the attachment of, in each case, one additional moiety Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 results in a valency of three for the two radicals T in question.
Furthermore, here and throughout this application, at least one of the q moieties Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 is attached terminally to the mesogenic group M as defined in the formulae I or Ia.
The radicals T may be ring systems which are substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine, cyano, hydroxyl, formyl, nitro, C1-C20-alkyl, C1-C20-alkoxy, C1-C20-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C20-monoalkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C20-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C20-alkylcarbonyloxy or C1-C20-alkylcarbonylamino. Preferred radicals T are: 
Examples of mesogenic groups M for R1, R2 and R3 are: 
Further possible mesogenic groups M correspond to the following formulae: 
In accordance with the above examples for possible radicals T, the (unsubstituted) mesogenic groups shown above may of course be substituted by fluorine, chlorine, bromine, cyano, hydroxyl, formyl, nitro, C1-C20-alkyl, C1-C20-alkoxy, C1-C20-alkoxycarbonyl, C1-C20-monoalkylaminocarbonyl, C1-C20-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C20-alkylcarbonyloxy or C1-C20-alkylcarbonylamino. Preferred substituents are in particular short-chain aliphatic radicals, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl and alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkylcarbonylamino and monoalkylaminocarbonyl radicals which contain these alkyl groups.
Preferred 1,3-dioxane compounds are those in which, in the mesogenic group of the formula Ia, the index r is 0 for R1 and the index r, independently at each occurrence, is 0 or 1 for R2 and R3. As mesogenic groups, mention may be made in particular of 
for R1, and
for R2 and R3: 
Furthermore, these mesogenic groups may be substituted, as mentioned above.
It is furthermore also possible to attach one or more of the mesogenic radicals M directly to the corresponding groups P without a spacer A1. In these cases, the indices m or n are 0, and Y1/Y2 together are a chemical single bond.
C1-C12-Alkyl radicals for P are branched or unbranched C1-C12-alkyl chains, for example methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, 1-methylethyl, n-butyl, 1-methylpropyl, 2-methylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl, n-pentyl, 1-methylbutyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-ethylpropyl, n-hexyl, 1,1-dimethylpropyl, 1,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-methylpentyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 4-methylpentyl, 1,1-dimethylbutyl, 1,2-dimethylbutyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl, 3,3-dimethylbutyl, 1-ethylbutyl, 2-ethylbutyl, 1,1,2-trimethylpropyl, 1,2,2-trimethylpropyl, 1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl, 1-ethyl-2-methylpropyl, n-heptyl, n-octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, n-nonyl, n-decyl, n-undecyl and n-dodecyl.
Preferred alkyl radicals for P are the branched or unbranched C1-C6-alkyl chains, for example methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, 1-methylethyl, n-butyl, 1-methylpropyl, 2-methylpropyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl, n-pentyl, 1-methylbutyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, 1-ethylpropyl and n-hexyl.
Polymerizable groups or groups suitable for polymerization or radicals having a polymerizable group or a group suitable for polymerization (such groups or radicals are hereinafter also simply called xe2x80x9creactive radicalsxe2x80x9d) which are suitable for P are: 
where R4 to R6 may be identical or different and are each hydrogen or C1-C4-alkyl, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl or tert-butyl.
Of the polymerizable groups, the cyanates can spontaneously trimerize to cyanurates. The other groups mentioned require further compounds containing complementary reactive groups for polymerization. Thus, for example, isocyanates can polymerize with alcohols to give urethanes and with amines to give urea derivatives. Thiiranes and aziridines behave similarly. Carboxyl groups can be condensed to give polyesters and polyamides. The maleiimido group is particularly suitable for free-radical copolymerization with olefinic compounds, for example styrene, or compounds comprising styrene structural elements.
The complementary reactive radicals may, together with the corresponding reactive radicals, be present in a single 1,3-dioxane compound of the invention (so that this compound may potentially polymerize with itself) or in an additional 1,3-dioxane compound of the invention. Alternatively, these complementary reactive radicals may, together with the corresponding reactive radicals, be present in a single (auxiliary) compound or in further (auxiliary) compounds of this type.
Particularly suitable polymerizable groups are acrylate, methacrylate and vinyl.
Preference is also given to compounds of the formulae I, in which, in R1, Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 is hydrogen, i.e. P is hydrogen, Y1 and Y2 are each a chemical single bond and m is 0, and m is not 0 in at least one Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 of R2 and R3. This preference means that at least one of the latter radicals has a group P which is attached to the mesogenic group M via spacer A1 and Y1/Y2, and, in the case of R1, [Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94]qMxe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94 xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x94 is reduced to [Hxe2x80x94]qMxe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x94 or, taking formula Ia into account, to [Hxe2x80x94]q(xe2x80x94Txe2x80x94Y5)rxe2x80x94Txe2x80x94Y3xe2x80x94(A2)nxe2x80x94Y4xe2x80x94.
For the two exemplary cases mentioned above in the note, this gives 
This is of course equivalent to the fact that the mesogenic group M in R1 is no longer substituted with Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 moieties.
Preference is also given to compounds of the invention in which q is 1 in R2 and R3, i.e. each mesogenic group M of R2 and R3 is substituted only with a single Pxe2x80x94Y1xe2x80x94(A1)mxe2x80x94Y2xe2x80x94 moiety which is then, in accordance with the remarks made in the above note, terminally attached to the mesogenic group M, and this, in accordance with the two above examples, leads to 
which is of course equivalent in this case.
Particularly preferred chiral compounds for the purposes of the present invention are based on the diastereomer of formula Ixe2x80x2, 
where R1, R2 and R3 are as defined for formula I. The abovementioned preferences apply analogously to the compounds of the formula Ixe2x80x2.
According to the invention, the compounds of the formula I and their preferred embodiments are used as chiral dopants for liquid-crystalline systems. The term xe2x80x9cliquid-crystalline systemsxe2x80x9d as used herein is not limited to systems in which one or more constituents have liquid-crystalline properties per se (in the temperature range of interest) and are present in the system, but also includes those systems in which liquid-crystalline behavior is only achieved by mixing the components or by admixing the chiral compound(s) of the invention (e.g. lyotropic systems). It may furthermore be noted that the compounds of the invention do not necessarily have to exhibit liquid-crystalline behavior themselves.
The invention further provides liquid-crystalline and polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions comprising at least one chiral compound of the formula I or a preferred embodiment.
Liquid-crystalline compositions for the purposes of the present invention are in particular non-polymerizable compositions which are not capable of forming polymerization or condensation products under conventional conditions. These compositions can be prepared, for example, by mixing one or more of the compounds of the invention with suitable commercially available liquid-crystalline materials as used, for example, for active LC layers in display technology. Accordingly, in the compounds of the invention, P in formula I is hydrogen or C1-C12-alkyl.
The invention provides the use of these (non-polymerizable) liquid-crystalline compositions for producing optical components, such as LCDs. The invention also provides optical components obtained in this way.
The present invention furthermore provides polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions. These are in particular those compositions in which at least one of the components is capable of forming polymerization or condensation products under conventional conditions.
The desired degree of polymerization, crosslinking and/or condensation after polymerization or condensation is complete may be controlled depending on the number of reactive radicals in the components of these compositions. In such compositions, the compounds of the formula I of the invention have at least one, preferably two reactive radicals P, which are in particular attached to R2 and R3. These compositions are easily obtainable by mixing one or more of the compounds of the invention with suitable polymerizable, liquid-crystalline materials. Suitable polymerizable, liquid-crystalline compounds are described, for example, in WO 95/22586, 95/24454, 95/24455, 96/04351, 96/24647, 97/00600, 97/34862 and 98/47979 and German Offenlegungsschrift 198 35 730 and have essentially the schematic structure Pxe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94Axe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94Axe2x80x94Yxe2x80x94P, where P, Y, A and M have the same meanings as P, Y1, to Y4, A1, A2 and M in formula I.
The invention provides the use of these polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions for producing optical components, such as polarizers or filters.
The present invention furthermore provides such optical components which have been obtained using these polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention.
According to the invention, the claimed polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions are used for printing or coating substrates. In this case, the compositions may contain further additives. Suitable additives include additives selected from the group consisting of photoinitiators, reactive thinners and diluents, additives selected from the group consisting of antifoams and deaerators, lubricants and flow auxiliaries, thermally curing or radiation-curing auxiliaries, substrate wetting auxiliaries, wetting and dispersion auxiliaries, hydrophobicizing agents, adhesion promoters and auxiliaries for improving the scratch resistance, additives selected from the group consisting of dyes and pigments and additives selected from the group consisting of light, heat and/or oxidation stabilizers.
The chemicophysical nature of these additives is described in detail in the prior German application 199 05 394.4. This publication furthermore describes liquid-crystalline compositions which fall into the same category as the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention, possibly in admixture with the abovementioned additives. Accordingly, as described in the prior German publication 199 05 394.4, the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions claimed in the present application, possibly in admixture with said additives, can be used as printing or coating compositions for substrates.
The present invention furthermore provides printed or coated substrates which have been produced using the polymerizable compositions of the invention, if desired in admixture with the abovementioned additives.
Examples of such substrates are paper and cardboard products, for example for carrier bags, magazines, brochures, gift wrappings and packaging materials for consumables, food products and luxury products, sheets, for example for decorative or non-decorative packaging, textiles of any kind and leather.
Other substrates are (consumer) electronic products, such as MC, MD, DVD and video recorders, televisions, radios, telephones/mobiles etc. and electronic data processing equipment, products from the leisure, sports, domestic and games sector, for example bicycles, children""s vehicles, skis, snowboards and surfboards, in-line skates, roller skates and ice-skates and domestic appliances. Such substrates furthermore include writing utensils and spectacle frames, for example.
Other substrates are surfaces encountered in the construction sector, such as building walls or window panes. In the latter case, a functional effect may be desired in addition to a decorative effect. Thus, it is possible to produce multilayers on the window material whose individual layers have different chemicophysical properties. If, for example, individual layers of the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions with opposite twisting (by use of one enantiomer and its optical antipode as dopant according to the present invention) or individual layers of crosslinked cholesteric liquid-crystalline compositions with the same helical handedness but different pitch and thus different reflection properties (by using different concentrations of dopant according to the present invention) are employed, specific wavelengths or wavelength ranges of the light spectrum can be reflected in a controlled manner. In this way it is possible to provide a window coating which is IR or UV reflective. For this aspect of the compositions of the invention, in particular heat-insulating coatings, reference is made to German Offenlegungsschrift 197 45 647.
The present invention also provides the use of the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention for preparing dispersions and emulsions, which are preferably water-based. For the preparation of such dispersions and emulsions, reference is made to WO 96/02597 and WO 98/47979 which describe the preparation of dispersions and emulsions using liquid-crystalline materials.
Accordingly, the present invention provides such dispersions and emulsions which have been prepared using the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention. These dispersions and emulsions can likewise be used for printing and coating substrates as described above by way of example.
The present invention furthermore provides the use of the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention for producing films. For the purposes of the present invention, such films are in particular self-supporting layers as obtained by polymerizing the compositions. These films may be on substrates or backings such that films can easily be removed and transferred to other substrates or backings for permanent adhesion by appropriate measures. Such films can be used, for example, in film coating and laminating processes.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides such films which have been prepared using the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention.
The present invention furthermore provides the use of the polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention for preparing pigments.
The preparation of such pigments is known and described in detail in WO 99/11733, for example. Furthermore, it is also possible to prepare pigments of predefined shape and size by using printing methods or by means of nets with gaps in which the polymerizable composition is placed. The liquid-crystalline composition is then polymerized or condensed followed by removal from the substrate or net. These procedures are described in detail in WO 96/02597, WO 97/27251, WO 97/27252 and EP 0 931 110.
The polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions can be converted into polymers having a frozen liquid-crystalline order structure with the aid of their reactive groups and, depending on their chemical nature, by condensation or free-radical or ionic polymerization processes, which can be initiated by photochemical reactions.
These pigments may be single-layered (homogeneous) or multilayered. However, the latter pigments can usually only be obtained if coating processes are used in which a plurality of layers are formed successively on top of one another followed by a final mechanical comminution.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides pigments which have been prepared from such polymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions of the invention.